LOS ANGELES – While the Dodgers poured onto the field to mob Chris Taylor, Fernando Rodney sat in the visitors’ dugout and stewed. He had been so good for so long in the ninth inning this season, but on Thursday night he authored a nightmare ending to a nightmare series for the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.

Rodney faced six batters and could not retire one of them. He threw 20 pitches and missed the zone 14 times. He was handed a three-run lead and could not protect it. And instead of escaping town with a victory in hand and their pride intact, the Diamondbacks returned home after being swept for the first time this season, three losses in three games against the team they’re chasing in the National League West.

“The Dodgers beat us fair and square,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “They beat us in three games. That wasn’t what we were expecting coming in here. We played good baseball; we just didn’t play good enough.”

So much had gone right until the ninth inning began. Jake Lamb delivered a pair of stunning home runs off left-handed pitchers. Robbie Ray threw six overpowering innings, tying his career-high with 13 strikeouts. Ketel Marte hit a ball to a part of the Dodger Stadium bleachers rarely reached.

But it was all overshadowed once the ninth inning unraveled. For the better part of two months, Rodney was untouchable. Over 20 appearances, he was stingy not just with runs, but with hits as well, altering the psyche of what his outings represented. Instead of roller-coaster saves, Rodney generated pure dominance.

But after blowing a save on Sunday, he was a mess on Thursday. He allowed a leadoff single to start the ninth, then walked three consecutive batters on 13 pitches. He tried to throw strikes with his fastball. He tried with his change-up. He couldn’t do so with either.

“I missed a lot with fastball command tonight and they’re a very good team,” Rodney said. “My command was not there tonight.”

With one run in, the bases loaded and still no one out, Corey Seager grounded a two-strike single into center field to tie the game, sending Dodger Stadium into a frenzy. An intentional walk ended Rodney’s night, and he walked slowly back to the dugout, getting conciliatory pats on the backside from teammates after descending the stairs.

“I was trying to get a double play and I got it, but that ball goes past the glove and to center field,” Rodney said, referring to Seager’s ground ball. “I’ll continue to try and find the strike zone, but I couldn’t get it tonight.”

Two batters later, it was over. Taylor shot the first pitch he saw from T.J. McFarland over a drawn-in Rey Fuentes in left field, and the Dodgers were winners again. In six games over the past two weeks against the Rockies and Diamondbacks, their top competition in the division, the Dodgers went 6-0.

“From Day 1, we knew we were the best club; it’s just a matter of going out and playing,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “The Rockies and Diamondbacks were playing good when they came in here, and we wanted to play well, and we took care of business. Now we have to continue to do it.”

In his office after the game, Lovullo replayed the ninth in his mind, considering the idea of whether he should have removed Rodney before things got away. Despite the first four batters reaching, Lovullo said he still maintained faith in Rodney’s ability to close it out.

“Sometimes,” Lovullo said, “he has little holdups, but then he’ll make five or six good pitches to get himself out of a jam. I felt that way all the way up until the base hit from Seager.”

On Tuesday, the Diamondbacks were 2 1/2 games out of first. They left town with a 5 1/2-game deficit. And while they can say they lost each game by just one run, the series also exposed at least one potential flaw: their inability to hit quality left-handed pitching.

In three games against lefties Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood and Rich Hill, the Diamondbacks managed a total of seven hits in 21 innings. They drew four walks and struck out 30 times. They are hitting .227 with a .669 OPS as a team against lefties this season, ranking third-worst in the majors in both categories.

“This one hurts, obviously, but we just have to view it as one series,” Lamb said. “It’s July. That’s not to say that we didn’t care about this series. But it’s in the past now, and we’ve got the Reds for three and then we’ve got the All-Star Break. That’s all we can control is being ready for the Reds tomorrow.

“I’m not too worried that we’re going to be feeling this one tomorrow. Not to say we didn’t want it, but it’s over now and we’ve got to move on.”

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Ketel Marte, right, readies to throw to first over Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger to get Joc Pederson to complete the double play during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Wednesday, July 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Alex Gallardo, AP

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Alex Wood looks to throw to first after fielding a bunt single by Arizona Diamondbacks' Gregor Blanco during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Wednesday, July 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Alex Gallardo, AP

July 4, 2017: Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Daniel Descalso (3) is greeted by first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (44) and second baseman Brandon Drury (27) after hitting a three run home run in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

July 4, 2017: Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Daniel Descalso (3) rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw wipes his face after giving up his first hit of the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks as catcher Yasmani Grandal looks on during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 4, 2017. Chris Carlson/AP

Arizona Diamondbacks' Daniel Descalso, right, argues a third strike call with home plate umpire Mark Ripperger during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 4, 2017. Chris Carlson/AP

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Patrick Corbin wipes his face after giving up a double to Los Angeles Dodgers' Chris Taylor during the third inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 4, 2017. Chris Carlson/AP

Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Ketel Marte can't get a glove on a double by Los Angeles Dodgers' Yasmani Grandal during the second inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 4, 2017. Chris Carlson/AP

Los Angeles Dodgers' Justin Turner celebrates in the dugout after his home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 4, 2017. Chris Carlson/AP

Los Angeles Dodgers' Justin Turner rounds the bases after a home run of Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Patrick Corbin during the third inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 4, 2017. Chris Carlson/AP